Documentation Verification
Use this skill when a docs change needs evidence, not just a writing pass.
- Leverage native parallel subagent dispatch and 200k+ context windows where available.
Activation Conditions
Use symptom -> action triggers: when one matches, apply this skill and verify with the protocol below.
- Reviewing docs before merge or release
- Checking README, setup, or config accuracy
- Verifying local links, commands, and code samples
- Confirming docs changed alongside user-facing behavior
Verification Workflow
- Confirm the docs cover the changed behavior.
- Check relative links and referenced files.
- Validate commands and snippets where feasible.
- Report missing coverage and stale claims explicitly.
Documentation Stack Reference
Inherit the shared stack from documentation-patterns: source-of-truth discovery, audience framing, structure selection, verification, and freshness checks. Keep this skill focused on final evidence checks instead of restating the full stack.
Cross-Client Portability
This skill is written to stay usable across GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, and Codex.
- GitHub Copilot: keep the folder in a Copilot-visible skill path or wrap the
workflow in project instructions when folder discovery is unavailable.
- Claude Code: keep the folder in a local skills directory or a compatible plugin source.
- Codex: install or sync the folder into
$CODEX_HOME/skills/documentation-verification and restart Codex after major changes.
MCP Availability And Fallback
Preferred MCP Server: None required
- Fallback prompt: "Use the Documentation Verification skill without MCP. Rely on its local instructions, bundled resources, standard shell or editor tools, and direct verification. Show the evidence used before concluding."
- Do not claim an MCP operation was used when the active host does not expose it.
- Treat local files, tests, rendered outputs, logs, or screenshots as the fallback evidence path.
Anti-Patterns
- Writing for the author instead of the reader: It bakes in unstated context and leaves the actual audience unsure what to do next.
- Skipping concrete examples or commands: Abstract guidance is easy to approve and hard to apply correctly.
- Letting links, screenshots, or versions drift: Polished formatting does not help if the instructions are no longer true.
Verification Protocol
Before claiming "skill applied successfully":
- Pass/fail: The Documentation Verification output identifies audience, purpose, source of truth, and freshness requirements.
- Pass/fail: Shared documentation-stack guidance is referenced instead of duplicating another documentation skill.
- Pass/fail: Claims, links, commands, examples, and screenshots are verified or explicitly marked unverified.
- Pressure-test scenario: Apply the skill to a doc request with a stale command, missing owner, and conflicting audience.
- Success metric: Zero undocumented assumptions; every reader-facing claim is sourced or scoped.
Review Checklist
References & Resources
Documentation
Scripts
- Doc Link Check - Validate relative Markdown links across one file or an entire docs tree
Related Skills
- documentation-authoring: Use it when the workflow also needs drafting structured technical or product documents.
- documentation-patterns: Use it when the workflow also needs reusable documentation structures and templates.
- documentation-quality: Use it when the workflow also needs documentation review standards and quality gates.
- notion-docs: Use it when the workflow also needs Notion page and database publishing workflows.
1---2name: documentation-verification3description: Validate documentation before merging - check completeness, broken links, code example accuracy, and factual correctness. Use when reviewing docs for quality gates or running pre-merge doc validation.4---5# Documentation Verification
6
7Use this skill when a docs change needs evidence, not just a writing pass.
8
9- Leverage native parallel subagent dispatch and 200k+ context windows where available.
10
11
12## Activation Conditions
13
14Use symptom -> action triggers: when one matches, apply this skill and verify with the protocol below.
15
16- Reviewing docs before merge or release
17- Checking README, setup, or config accuracy
18- Verifying local links, commands, and code samples
19- Confirming docs changed alongside user-facing behavior
20
21## Verification Workflow
22
231. Confirm the docs cover the changed behavior.
242. Check relative links and referenced files.
253. Validate commands and snippets where feasible.
264. Report missing coverage and stale claims explicitly.
27
28## Documentation Stack Reference
29
30Inherit the shared stack from [documentation-patterns](../documentation-patterns/SKILL.md#shared-documentation-stack): source-of-truth discovery, audience framing, structure selection, verification, and freshness checks. Keep this skill focused on final evidence checks instead of restating the full stack.
31
32<!-- MCP:START -->
33
34<!-- PORTABILITY:START -->
35## Cross-Client Portability
36
37This skill is written to stay usable across GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, and Codex.
38
39- GitHub Copilot: keep the folder in a Copilot-visible skill path or wrap the
40 workflow in project instructions when folder discovery is unavailable.
41- Claude Code: keep the folder in a local skills directory or a compatible plugin source.
42- Codex: install or sync the folder into
43 `$CODEX_HOME/skills/documentation-verification` and restart Codex after major changes.
44
45<!-- PORTABILITY:END -->
46
47## MCP Availability And Fallback
48
49Preferred MCP Server: None required
50
51- Fallback prompt: "Use the Documentation Verification skill without MCP. Rely on its local instructions, bundled resources, standard shell or editor tools, and direct verification. Show the evidence used before concluding."
52- Do not claim an MCP operation was used when the active host does not expose it.
53- Treat local files, tests, rendered outputs, logs, or screenshots as the fallback evidence path.
54
55<!-- MCP:END -->
56
57## Anti-Patterns
58
59- Writing for the author instead of the reader: It bakes in unstated context and leaves the actual audience unsure what to do next.
60- Skipping concrete examples or commands: Abstract guidance is easy to approve and hard to apply correctly.
61- Letting links, screenshots, or versions drift: Polished formatting does not help if the instructions are no longer true.
62
63## Verification Protocol
64
65Before claiming "skill applied successfully":
66
671. Pass/fail: The Documentation Verification output identifies audience, purpose, source of truth, and freshness requirements.
682. Pass/fail: Shared documentation-stack guidance is referenced instead of duplicating another documentation skill.
693. Pass/fail: Claims, links, commands, examples, and screenshots are verified or explicitly marked unverified.
704. Pressure-test scenario: Apply the skill to a doc request with a stale command, missing owner, and conflicting audience.
715. Success metric: Zero undocumented assumptions; every reader-facing claim is sourced or scoped.
72
73## Review Checklist
74
75- [ ] Public behavior changes are documented
76- [ ] Local links resolve
77- [ ] Examples and commands still make sense
78- [ ] Setup steps reflect current tool versions
79- [ ] README and CHANGELOG were updated when required
80
81## References & Resources
82
83### Documentation
84- [Validation Procedures](./references/validation.md) - Practical checks for links, examples, config, and coverage
85
86### Scripts
87- [Doc Link Check](./scripts/doc-link-check.py) - Validate relative Markdown links across one file or an entire docs tree
88
89## Related Skills
90
91- [documentation-authoring](../documentation-authoring/SKILL.md): Use it when the workflow also needs drafting structured technical or product documents.
92- [documentation-patterns](../documentation-patterns/SKILL.md): Use it when the workflow also needs reusable documentation structures and templates.
93- [documentation-quality](../documentation-quality/SKILL.md): Use it when the workflow also needs documentation review standards and quality gates.
94- [notion-docs](../notion-docs/SKILL.md): Use it when the workflow also needs Notion page and database publishing workflows.
practicalswan